My Brush With a Beatle!

I love living in NYC! For all of the times that I get annoyed with subway problems, tourists clogging up the sidewalks, smelly garbage, overcrowded stores and other everyday nuisances, once in a while, there comes a moment so incredible, it makes it all worthwhile. Last night, I had just such a moment. Little did I know when I left my apartment last evening, heading to hear Tony DeSare at Bemelmans Bar, that I was going to meet a living legend, a piece of history, a man who has been one of the biggest influences on popular music EVER! Funny thing was, I almost didn't go! I'd spent nearly eight hours in a photo shoot for my forthcoming CD yesterday and I was utterly wiped out! However, I decided that going to a classy venue, having a glass of wine, and hearing some great music would be a perfect way to unwind, so off I went! I met my friend, Angela, at Bemelmans and we settled onto a banquette facing the music, ordered our cocktails, and relaxed! Our table was right by the entrance of the bar, and shortly into the second set (I believe it was during "Girl From Ipanema"), I noticed a VERY familiar profile coming into the room, along with his date. "No!" I thought to myself, "It can't be...." His back was to me at this point, but when he turned around to face me, it was unmistakable: I was looking directly at Sir Paul McCartney!! I nudged Angela and felt my heart start to pound. All of those nights of insisting to my parents that I needed to fall asleep listening to my Beatles tape, all of those hours of discovering album after album, of learning the harmonies and singing them with my dad, the two amazing concerts I'd seen Sir Paul play...all of those memories came flooding back as I gazed at the man standing in front of me, who, it seemed, had his eye on the table right next to mine! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! As he slid into the banquette, right next to me, my leather jacket serving as the only barrier between us, I found that I couldn't even look at him! I didn't want to give off "crazy obsessed fan" vibes, and I knew that if I looked, I'd simply stare! I leaned over to Angela, though, and said, "Ok, before he leaves, I HAVE to talk to him. At some point this evening, I just have to!" A few minutes later, his date got up from the table, and Angela whispered to me, "Now might be a good time!" So, I leaned over to him and said, "I don't want to interrupt, but I just have to tell you what an honor it is to be sharing this bench with you!" And he chuckled and said, "Thank you!" So, then, I proceeded to tell him that, from the time I was 6 years old, I had to fall asleep to a Beatles tape every night, and that my dad had brought me up right! So, he said to thank my dad - no, congratulate my dad for him! I said, "I will...but I have to tell you, he'll be a little bit jealous," to which he replied, "Well, thank him for me!" Of course, after the fact, I realized that I still had my '60s hair and makeup done from my photo shoot and I was wearing a '60s-style short dress and high boots...Paul McCartney was probably thinking, "Wow, this poor obsessed girl...stuck in the '60s: a Beatles fanatic, retro hair makeup, and clothes...yikes!" Anyway, after my chat with Sir Paul, I turned around to face the band again, and I have to say, it was pretty cool to hear little "buh-buh-buh-bum"s as Sir Paul improvised along with the music! He and his date left after the set, but he did take a few minutes to talk to Tony on his way out and tell him that he enjoyed his music and his songwriting...how cool is that?!!! :)
So, that's it...my brief, exciting "brush with a Beatle," which I will treasure for the rest of my life! Now, back to the day job...